Bottom wheel for bucket or conveyer pumps.



No. 728,850. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

L. A. BRIGEL.

BOTTOM WHEEL FOR BUCKET 0R GON VEYERPUM PSA APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1901.

10 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

ATENT FFIGEG LEO A. BRIGEL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of. Letters Patent No. 728,850, dated May 26, 1903. Application filed April 10. 1901. Serial No. 55,179. (No model.)

To all whom it potty concern:

Be it known that I, LEO A. BRIGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottom I/Vheels for Bucket or (Jonveyer Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to improvements in bottom wheels for bucket or conveyer pumps.

One of its objects is to provide a strong solid durable central or tread portion of the requisite weight.

Another object is to provide detachable flanges of sheet metal and devices for detaching and replacing the same when damaged or excessively corroded.

Another object is to provide a knockdown wheel which can be shipped in sections, taking up but little'room, and afterward secured together.

My invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of my improved wheel.

The novel features will be defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of my improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a section through the same on line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section through the same on line 2' z of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the central or tread portion of the wheel. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 3, showing a modification. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the tread portion of the modified wheel shown in Fig. 5.

Thewheel,whichisdesigned tobe suspended in the well or cistern at the lower end of a chain of buckets to add weight, is composed of a central section or tread portion A and two side sections B B, which are preferably bolted to the opposite sides of the section A by means of bolts 0.

It has been customary heretofore to cast the bottom wheel for' bucket pumps with the flanges in place,and as soconstructed it was liable to become broken in shipment and in handling or while in use in the well, besides requiring an unnecessary amount of space in shipment. It was also difficult to galvanize and became quickly corroded in use and rapidly wore away under the action of the bucketchain. To obviate these difficulties, I provide a separate tread-section, which is preferably formed of vitreous material, such as stoneware or earthenware. This material I find to be hard, non-corrodible, inexpensive, and when formed solid of about the proper weight required for a bottom wheel, while a solid metal wheel would be too heavy. I preferably provide the projections H on opposite sides, which assist in the operation of baking the ware and also serve to retain the flangesections in a central position relative to the tread-section. Openings are also provided in the tread-section for the passage of bolts to lock the parts together. The side flanges are formed by stamping them to the proper form from sheet metal, an offset E being formed to embrace the projections H-of the tread-section to hold the flanges central thereon and to give rigidity to the flange-sections. The edges are flared, so as to prevent the wheel climbing outof the chain. Thus formed the flanges are light, tough, strong, and rigid and lesseasily corroded. They can also be nested into small space for shipment.

The pattern or design of the projectionsH and recesses E may be variously modified without departing from the principle of my invention.

In the modification, Figs. 5 and 6, the treadsection is formed of a ring of cast metal I, leavingeyes J for the passage of the bolts, while the central portion K is formed of cementor similar material which is filled in in plastic condition and allowed to set, or if less weight is desired this space is left open.

My invention is capable of some modification without material departure from the scope of my invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the various parts.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a bottom wheel for bucket-pumps, a

heavy tread-section adapted to give the desired weight to the bottom wheel, and presenting an unbroken exterior or tread surface; the detachable stamped sheet-metal side seotionshaving their outer edges flared outwardly; openings through said several sections, and bolts passing through said openings to detachably lock said sections together.

2. In a bottom wheel for bucket-pumps, a solid vitreous tread-section having openings pierced therein; the detachable stamped me tallic side sections, and bolts passing through the side sections and openings in the treadsection to secure the parts together.

3. In a bottom wheel for bucket-pumps, a solid vitreous tread-section having projections upon opposite sides thereof; detachable stamped side sections having recesses adapted to fit the projections of the tread-section; and means for detachably securing the side sections and tread-section together.

4. In a bottom wheel for bucket-pumps, a

solid vitreous tread-section having projec? tionsupon opposite sides thereof and openings pierced through said tread-section; detachable stamped side sections having recesses 

